GAME PREVIEW: AMERKS HOST SENS TO OPEN 69TH SEASON
New coach, captain lead Amerks into 2024-25 AHL season
Oct 10, 2024
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @Mossbrooks48
The Rochester Americans drop the puck on their 69th season Friday night at Blue Cross Arena when they host the Belleville Senators in the team’s 2024-25 home opener.
The game against Belleville is the first of eight meetings between the North Division rivals this season and marks the first time ever that the Amerks have opened an AHL regular season against an Ottawa Senators’ affiliate. Rochester’s first nine games of the 2024-25 campaign will come against divisional opponents.
“The guys that have been here know what to expect,” said Amerks forward Mason Jobst. “They’re a hard-working, physical team. We kind of got a look at them when we (Buffalo) played Ottawa in preseason. They have a hard-nosed, blue-collar style of hockey, but our coaching staff has done a good job of preparing us for this team, so we should be ready.”
NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN
Friday marks the beginning of the Michael Leone era in Rochester. The 36-year-old bench boss was hired in June as the 34th head coach in team history, replacing Seth Appert, who was promoted to an assistant coach with the Buffalo Sabres.
Leone brings with him vast coaching experience at various levels, most recently serving as head coach for Green Bay in the USHL. Prior to Amerks training camp, the Dearborn, Michigan, native served as head coach for the Buffalo Sabres roster that remained in North America during the preseason. Leone led the Sabres to a 3-1-0 record. On Sunday in Rochester’s lone preseason game, Leone oversaw his team pick up a 7-1 win in Syracuse.
“I think everyone’s really excited to put on the jersey and play a home game,” said Leone. “I think the guys have worked hard. It’s been really good around here the last few years under Seth (Appert). We want to play a fast and furious style of game and be really aggressive on our forechecks. We’ve played to that and been relentless.”
In addition to his coaching resume, Leone played parts of four seasons professionally, including 99 ECHL games from 2013-16.
“It’s been great,” said Jobst on his relationship with Leone. “I really respect him and where he’s come from and the career he’s had so far. Everything’s been really smooth. It’s game one tonight, so there’s still a lot to learn from him, but so far, so good. I have a lot of respect for his character.”
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN
With Michael Mersch retiring, Leone was given the chance to name his first captain, electing for 30-year-old Mason Jobst.
“I just want to help each and every one of you to reach your goals and push you to be the best version of yourself by being the best version of myself,” said Jobst to his teammates after being named captain.
“For me it was about the person he is,” said Leone on naming Jobst captain. “You can see how much this place and organization mean to him. We hit it off on the phone in the summer about things we wanted to implement. The way he goes about it every day and how he interacts with our group makes me really fortunate and grateful that he’s our captain and I get to coach him.”
The sixth-year pro is coming off an MVP season, finishing tied for first in scoring with the Amerks, scoring 22 goals en route to amassing 50 points on the year. In the offseason, he was rewarded with an NHL contract from Buffalo. Against Belleville, Jobst scored four goals and an assist in eight games last season.
In addition to Jobst being named captain, defensemen Ethan Prow and Zach Metsa, along with forwards Brett Murray and Josh Dunne, will rotate in as alternate captains. Prow and Murray had previously worn letters for the Amerks, while second-year pro Metsa had captained Quinnipiac University to a National Championship in 2023 and Dunne had served as an alternate in Cleveland each of the last two seasons.
HELENIUS ARRIVES
The Amerks have benefitted greatly from the Sabres’ drafting and development strategy, with at times as many as four first-round draft picks in their lineup a season ago. Come Friday, another highly touted prospect expects to make his first appearance in the red, white, and blue, with Konsta Helenius set to make his North American pro debut.
“It’s a good feeling to be able to start the season on home ice,” said Helenius. I heard they’ve got big guys on the other team, so we’ve got to be ready. We play fast and physical. I like that. There’s a lot of good teammates here that makes it fun to be here.”
The Finnish forward was selected 14th overall at this past summer’s NHL Draft. Helenius spent the bulk of his last two seasons playing professionally for Jukurit in the top Finnish pro league. In 2023-24, Helenius produced 36 points (14+22) over 51 games, the most by an under-18 years of age player across the league.
SANDSTROM STARTS
Veteran goaltender Felix Sandström will make his Amerks debut on the team’s home opener Friday night, as confirmed by coach Leone during Friday morning’s media availability.
“I think it’s another opportunity for him,” said Leone when asked about Sandström. In pro, you never know where you’re going to be. For him, I thought he played well in preseason and we believe in him. He’s a great teammate.”
The 27-year-old goaltender has been around pro hockey for a decade, spending his earlier years overseas in his native country of Sweden, followed by parts of the last six seasons in Philadelphia. Over 24 AHL appearances last season, Sandström posted a 13-7-3 record with a 3.15 goals against average and an .884 save percentage, but had posted a save percentage above .900 in each of his previous three AHL seasons.
FAMILIAR FACE
The Amerks met the Senators in action eight times across the 2023-24 regular season, going 3-4-0-1 over that stretch. Both teams qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs, reaching the North Division Semifinals.
The Senators have made offseason additions to strengthen their lineup, with defenseman Jeremy Davies at the forefront.
“He was such a big part of our group,” said Metsa, who became friends with Davies during their shared time in Rochester. “He’s just a big character guy. He was great to me from the beginning. For those that know him, he’s a unique guy, so he’s welcoming in his own way. We’d go to dinners and go golf together. He was a really good guy to have around for my first year.”
Davies, 27, spent the last two seasons in an Amerks jersey, accumulating 58 points (23+35) over 132 games. The former New Jersey Devils draft pick continued on in the playoffs both years for Rochester, serving as an integral part of the team’s blue line on its way to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2023. Davies will serve as an alternate captain for the Senators.
“It feels like I was just here yesterday,” said Davies following Belleville’s morning skate. “I have a lot of good memories here and there’s an incredible group of guys on the other side. It’ll feel a little weird, but I think once you get the first shift out of the way it’ll be fine. This is a great building with great fans. It’ll be a fun one and it’s cool to be back.”